In more than 400 community gardens, residents are tending plots, growing fresh produce, sharing food with neighbors, and discussing and resolving neighborhood issues.
Philadelphia Green also manages the renovation and long-term maintenance of 60 acres (240,000 m2) of high profile landscapes in the downtown area including the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Azalea Garden, the 26th Street corridor (connecting the airport to Center City), and Penn’s Landing along the Delaware River.
To date, more than 3,000 lots, once vacant, abandoned, and blighted as a result of persistent illegal dumping, are now clean and green spaces with lawns and trees that are maintained on a regular basis.
In two recent studies by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, research indicates that planting street trees increases the value of adjacent homes by nearly 10 percent.
Proceeds from PHS’s Philadelphia Flower Show, along with funding from foundations, corporations, government agencies and individuals, help to support its projects.